Garage Sale June 7th and 8th

Keweenaw Pridefest Is This Saturday

The Houghton County Dems are proud to be sponsors of the Keweenaw Pridefest 2024. The Fest builds off the success of the 2023 event held on the Pier in Houghton, and is hosted by the same parent organization, the Keweenaw Queers. This year’s event will be at Hancock Beach, and is planned as an areawide pride event that is open to and for the general public.

Local bands will be playing live music and lawn games will be available. It’s a day in the park to have fun with friends, family and community! More information can be found at the Pridefest website.

We will have a table at the Fest as we did last year, to show our support and provide information about our Houghton County Dems. We hope to see you there!

We’re Hosting a Rummage Sale Next Week

The Houghton County Dems are hosting a rummage sale next Friday and Saturday June 7th and 8th. All proceeds will be used to support local Democratic candidates who are in contested elections.

WE NEED YOUR STUFF!!! - DONATIONS ACCEPTED NEXT WEDNESDAY

If you have items to contribute, please bring them to the HCDP office located at 323 Quincy Street in Hancock on Wednesday, June 5th anytime from noon to 6:00 p.m. We are looking for good, clean quality items such as books (no calculus textbooks!), kitchenware, glassware, knickknacks, holiday items, etc. No furniture or clothing, please. If the sale is successful, we plan to do this more than once over the summer.

WHEN: Sale -Friday, June 7, and Saturday, June 8 from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Donate - your good, clean quality items for the sale on Wednesday June 5 from noon to 6 PM.

WHERE: HCDP Headquarters - 323 Quincy Street, Hancock

WHY: All proceeds will be used to support local Democratic candidates in contested 2024 elections!!!

If you have questions, contact Valorie Troesch at [email protected] or Barb Turuc at [email protected].

VP Harris to Deliver MDP Legacy Dinner Keynote June 8th

UAW PRESIDENT FAIN TO BE HONORED

Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes has announced that the Keynote Speaker for this year’s Legacy Dinner will be Vice President Kamala Harris. UAW President Shawn Fain will receive the MDP’s 2024 Legacy Award.

The annual MDP event takes place Saturday, June 8th at Huntington Place in Detroit. Tickets are available for individuals and table sponsors, and can be purchased on ActBlue.

MQT Dems Hold Their Summer Sizzle June 20th

Our friends the Marquette County Dems are holding their annual Summer Sizzle fundraiser on Thursday June 20th. Tickets are available through this MQT Dems ActBlue page.

Coming Events - Mark Your Calendars (and Volunteer!)

We’ve got a number of activities and events coming up and we’d love to have you join us. Below is the list of our annual summer activities. Mark your calendars and volunteer:

• June 1 - KEWEENAW PRIDEFEST: The second annual Keweenaw Pridefest will be held at Hancock Beach this year. The Houghton County Democrats are a proud sponsor of the Fest this year. We will have a table from which to distribute literature and engage with the Fest-goers.

• June 7 and 8 - RUMMAGE SALE at the HCDP office (323 Quincy Street in Hancock). Donate your good, clean quality items for the sale on Wednesday June 6th between noon at 2 PM.

• June 13 thru 16 - BRIDGEFEST: Just as we’ve done in previous years we will again be staffing a booth at the Festival and walking in the Parade. This is a great opportunity to interact with the public and share our message of freedom and democracy.

• July 4 - INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADES: We’re still finalizing which parade(s) we’ll be marching in this year. If you have a particular parade you’d like to join in and march with us, let us know.

• July 12 and 13 - STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL: Strawberry Fest is a favorite every year. We’ll be marching in the Festival Parade - come join us!

• August 22 thru 25 - HOUGHTON COUNTY FAIR: We staff a table every year to engage with the public and distribute literature. We’ll have our button maker and materials ready for the kids to create their own button designs, while we chat with the adults.

• Labor Day Weekend - LABOR DAY PICNIC: Each year we gather over Labor Day Weekend to picnic and connect as we get ready for the fall campaign season.

If you’d like to volunteer for any of these activities let us know. Just leave a message at (906) 523-1233 or email us at [email protected]

What Exactly Has President Biden Done?

IT’S A REALLY LONG LIST…

As a Democrat you know that it’s our Party that rolls up it’s sleeves and gets things done for the American people when given control of the government - just look at all the accomplishments in the Michigan legislature since Democrats regained control of the state House and Senate for the first time in decades.

So you also know that Joe Biden has accomplished a lot since he became President, and you think that as Presidents go he doesn’t get the credit he deserves from the press. We think that too.

Like you, we know that elections are about looking forward and not looking backwards. We know that there is a lot that, together, we must do in this election to preserve our freedoms and defend our democracy. But, it’s also true that as Democrats, we can take enormous pride in everything that Joe Biden has accomplished so far as President.

So we were happy to receive word from our friends in the Kalamazoo Democratic Party that they had created “an extensive list of Joe Biden's First Term Accomplishments”. They filled 13 pages full of President Biden’s accomplishments, and helpfully organized them. Whether it’s the economy, healthcare, child care, infrastructure, manufacturing - you name it, it’s here. Click the button below to see their full list, and feel free to share it with others who might not know of everything that President Biden has accomplished.

At the Capital and On the Campaign Trail

A SMALL SAMPLING OF WHAT’S HAPPENING IN MICHIGAN AND ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.

• Secretary of State Benson Gives Impressive Interview on Election Integrity and Transparency: Michigan’s Secretary of State shines in a thorough, professional and impressive interview on Michigan’s election “infrastructure”. In this WOOD TV interview she explains why Michiganders should feel confident in the election process in our state. Excellent interview from Jocelyn Benson! MORE: WOOD TV 8 News

• Tuition Free Community College Graduates Celebrated: Governor Gretchen Whitmer celebrated thousands of Michiganders last Wednesday in a virtual graduation ceremony from the Michigan Reconnect program, which allows eligible Michiganders to get a tuition-free skills certificate or associate degree at an in-district community college. The Michigan Senate has now approved the 2025 state budget, which includes Gov. Whitmer’s proposal for two years of tuition-free education for students enrolling in an in-state community college. MORE: WWMT News Channel 3

• MI Senate Debate Cancelled: The Detroit Regional Chamber announced a few weeks back that it would hold a debate among candidates for the Michigan U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Debbie Stabenow. That debate has now been cancelled. It seems that the Chamber did not get prior agreement from the candidates to attend the debate. The two leading Republican candidates, Mike Rogers and Justin Amash, declined to appear. This led Democrat Elissa Slotkin, who had agreed to appear, to cancel. MORE: Detroit Free Press

• Trump Representative Flops at Meeting with Michigan Arab Americans: According to a source at the meeting Richard Grennell, a former Trump administration official with hopes of being the next Secretary of State, repeated the comments made in March by Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, that Israel should remove Palestinians from areas of Gaza that could be developed as "valuable waterfront property." Those comments “floated like a lead ballon” according to the source. MORE: Salon

• Voters Say They Didn’t Sign Republican Nominating Petitions: Statements from 19 Michigan voters who attest they “did not sign or do not recall signing” nominating petitions for Republican US Senate candidates are included in a Supplemental Letter filed with the Michigan Board of State Canvassers. The Letter includes additional evidence of signature fraud, and is a follow up by the Elias Law Group to the complaint they filed last week on behalf of the MDP, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and a single Michigan voter. MORE: WLNS TV6

• More Michigan Union Workers Voice Support for Biden: Union workers are standing behind President Joe Biden’s efforts to invest in manufacturing, infrastructure, and clean energy—and sounding alarms over what another Trump administration could mean for Michigan’s middle class.  MORE: The ‘Gander

The Northlander

The May - June edition of The Northlander, the newsletter for Democrats in Michigan’s 1st Congressional District, is now available. This edition is chock full of info on campaign and county party events throughout the UP and Northern Lower Michigan. Click the image below to view.

And, there’s now also a “Special Edition” for June that highlights all the events coming up in the next few days and weeks. 

You can view the June edition by clicking here.

Our Next Monthly Meeting

HCDP Monthly Meetings: Unless otherwise communicated our monthly meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month. Potluck at 6 PM, Meeting at 7 PM. In the conference room at the Houghton Super 8, and by Zoom (starting at 7 PM).

NEXT MEETING: June 5th

Governmental Meetings

TUE MAY 28 thru Tue June 4

There are no city or village council, or county board meetings scheduled this week.

Governmental meetings are scheduled throughout the month by bodies from the County Commission to City, Village and Township boards, committees and commissions; as well as local School Boards and the Copper Country Intermediate School District.

Check by phone or on the particular governmental website for meeting notices in your community. Your participation in local government meetings lets your elected and appointed officials know you are interested in their work, and can provide you with the opportunity to speak about your concerns during public comment periods